Have-a-go heroes grab baseball bat wielding-robber to help foil Spar shop raid
Have-a-go heroes helped foil an armed robbery after raiders wielding a machete and baseball bat burst into a shop.
Passers-by, spotting the drama, held the shop door shut to leave one suspect unable to escape through the store.
When he eventually smashed his way outside, the raider tried to break into a woman's car while she was inside.
But he failed to snatch the keys and was grabbed by residents until police arrived at the scene in Dudley.
The second robber had earlier managed to flee in a silver Rover car but left behind the cash he seized.
Police today praised the have-a-go heroes while they launched a manhunt to find the second robber.
Two men carrying the weapons entered the Spar convenience shop, in Abbey Road, in Lower Gornal, at around 10pm on Monday.
One jumped over the counter to take cigarettes and cash while the second, carrying the machete, threatened workers and demanded they open a safe.
He then fled the shop leaving the man with the bat behind the counter, say police.
He eventually forced his way outside but he was held again by residents.
Detective Constable Cal Sanders, from West Midlands Police's CID, said: "The suspect was detained as he was smashing the windows of a vehicle parked outside the shop in order get the keys and make good his escape.
"This vehicle had a lone woman inside who was showered in the glass and she is obviously shaken up by the incident.
"Passers-by have intervened and detained the suspect at the scene.
"Without the public’s help, I very much doubt that he would have been caught."
The second suspect was wearing dark clothing and gloves, in his late teens to early 20s, possibly white, and of slim build.
He was around 5ft 5ins tall, wearing a grey knitted scarf over his face with the eyes cut out.
A man, aged 31, from Tipton, was in custody on Tuesday held on suspicion of robbery.
Anyone with information can call police on 101, quoting crime number 20DY/227786F/17.
